Weekly Meetings: Tuesdays, September 22-December 22, 2020, 7:00-8:30pm
Half-day Retreat: Sunday, November 8, 1:00-5:00pm (Tentative)

Epics, poems, music, sculpture, dance, myths, and treatises on yoga will come alive in this 14 week series exploring the history of yoga and its relationship to Indian art. Drawing on his background in Indian classical dance and martial arts, as well as his extensive experience as a yoga practitioner and performing artist, Douglas will guide you toward opportunities to dive into subjects that nourish and deepen your practice. Connect with some of the roots of yoga and explore the way it has both influenced and been represented in the performing, literary, and visual arts of India.

We will examine the progression of yoga, starting with the earliest appearance of a yogi, or something like one, in the Rg Veda, and continuing with the forest dwellers of the Upanishads, the heroes of the epics, and the medieval hatha yogis and their internal alchemy, as well as their roles as mercenary soldiers, roadside acrobats, and eventually health enthusiasts. We will also explore paintings, temple sculpture, music, poetry, and of course “Natya”, also known as the 5th Veda- Dance and Dramatic art. As Bharata says in the Natya Shastra, a sanskrit treatise on performing arts, “There is no art, no knowledge, no yoga, no action that is not found in Natya.”

The course is open to everyone with an interest! It includes weekly classes, a half-day retreat, and a Private Session with Douglas where you can pursue your own personal interests and questions more deeply.

Class size limited, register early to reserve your space.

Cost: $495 through August 15, $550 after*

Registration will open by July 15, 2020

To inquire about scholarship options please email access@8limbsyoga.com with “History & Art of Yoga” in the subject field.

Free Info Session & All Levels Class: Wednesday, August 5, 6:30-7:15pm (Info Session) & 7:30-8:0pm (All Levels with Douglas). Email education@8limbsyoga.com with “Info Session” in the subject line by 1pm on 8/5/20 to receive a Zoom link for the session plus a free 8 Limbs LIVESTREAM class with Douglas!

Cancellation Policy: Refunds of 90% up to fifteen days prior to start of series. No refunds allowable after that time.

About the instructor: Douglas Ridings

Douglas has been teaching yoga at 8 Limbs for more than 20 years. He has been performing Odissi with Urvasi Dance Ensemble under the direction of Guru Dr. Ratna Roy since 2005. He frequently performs in India where he also studies Odissi at the Rudrakshya foundation of Guru Bichitrananda Swain, Chhau with Guru Sadashiv Pradhan, and Kalaripayattu with Guru Krishna Das at Vallabhatta Kalari. Through listening to the stories of these teachers, reading, visiting historical sites and enacting these stories through dance, he has immersed himself in these rich narratives and found them illuminatYogang, profound, and fascinating and is passionate about sharing them with others.